Biodiversity - The Government Joins a Convention Programme on the Subject of Bees

Bombus brodmannicus à Valplane, Allos © Matthieu Aubert

This text has two objectives: 

• To refine our knowledge of the diversity of wild bees within the Mercantour-Alpi Marittime territory.  Inventories already carried out in part of the territory showed that a third of the bees found refuge in the mountains. 
• To understand the interaction between wild bees and heritage environments (such as hay meadows).  These can constitute very favourable areas for hosting these species, which could ensure pollination and thus play a part in their conservation.

The Convention Programme also provides for an inventory in the Principality to identify the various species of bees.

This project complements the ATBI/IBG Mercantour-Alpi Marittime programme to increase awareness of biodiversity in the territory of the Mercantour-Alpi Marittime, which was initiated in 2008 with the support of the Prince's Government and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

This comprehensive list of species, together with a better knowledge of their lifestyle and interaction, should enable managers of these areas to propose actions to ensure that biodiversity is maintained over the long term.